Metairie alternative school is one of those set to close next summer

Despite her school's F rating, Principal Jan Somoza said she is proud of what she has accomplished at Bunche Accelerated Academy for High School Preparation in Metairie. Since the campus opened six years ago, most of her over-aged middle school students have gotten on track academically, made it to high school and eventually earned their diplomas. Many have gone on to college or vocational school.

Rusty Costanza/The Times-PicayuneEighth-grader Jasmine Sarah takes an English test Friday at Bunche Accelerated Academy for High School Preparation in Metairie.

"Those are kids whose lives we've changed," Somoza said. "I'm pleased. I'm glad I've had the opportunity to work with these at-risk students."

But under a proposed school closure and consolidation plan, Bunche and its West Bank counterpart, St. Ville Accelerated Academy for High School Preparation in Harvey, would close at the end of the current academic year. The plan calls for relocating the Bunche program to Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School in Kenner and the St. Ville program to John Ehret High School in Marrero.

In addition, three other West Bank schools would close: Norbert Rillieux Elementary in Waggaman, Kate Middleton Elementary in Gretna and Waggaman School.

The Jefferson Parish School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposals Monday at 6 p.m. at Bonnabel and Tuesday at 6 p.m. at L.W. Higgins High School in Marrero. The board plans to vote March 7 at Bonnabel.

In recent years, several board members advocated downsizing the system, citing budget constraints along with the loss of about 8,000 students after Hurricane Katrina. But former schools Superintendent Diane Roussel was unable to muster support from a majority of board members, who stood behind parents and staff of the schools pegged for closure.

That is not likely this time around. Five of the board's nine members are new, and all have backed Superintendent James Meza's reform plans, which includes school consolidation.

For now, Bunche is the only East Jefferson school scheduled for closure. But Deputy Superintendent Richard Carpenter cautioned that this is the first phase of the plan and other schools eventually will be considered.

Bunche takes students who are performing at least two grade levels below their age group and tries to accelerate their middle-school education so that they catch up for high school. The program features longer school days, occasional Saturday sessions, student contracts and strong parent involvement.

A leading advocate for Bunche and St. Ville, Elizabeth Magner of River Ridge, cautioned Thursday against closing them and moving their programs to regular high school campuses. In their own setting, Bunche and St. Ville students thrive, catch up academically and make it to high school, where 90 percent of them graduate, said Magner, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge who has organized career days at the two schools.

Students who are two years behind their age group typically have discipline and self-esteem problems if they are put in an environment with younger students performing at their own academic level, she said. She worries these will recur if the students are moved to Bonnabel and Ehret.

"I think it invites a continuation of the self-esteem problem," she said. "There is a huge risk that we will lose these kids."

Carpenter, however, said it makes sense to close Bunche for several reasons. Its relatively low enrollment, 140 students, and its F rating in the state accountability system played a part in the decision.

But Carpenter added: "We felt the program (and the one at St. Ville) would fit better on a high school campus. The purpose of the program will still be fulfilled. It offers an opportunity for a significant number of kids to catch up to their grade level."

He said Bonnabel and Ehret have the space to house Bunche and St. Ville, saving the system about $800,000. And in a program called Connections, both schools already have resources to help students who are academically behind.

Because they will be considered programs at Bonnabel and Ehret rather than schools, Bunche and St. Ville will no longer receive their own performance score and grade under the state's accountability system. That could help boost the Jefferson system's overall score, because Bunche and St. Ville have typically been at the bottom of the rankings.

Somoza said she wishes Bunche's performance score had been higher, but low scores are the nature of alternative schools.

"Our kids come to us with deficits," she said. "They're two years behind, and the deficits are probably greater than that."

Somoza said she doesn't know what her own future holds but hopes the program continues in its current form.

"I only brought back four kids from last year's group," she said. "Most of the kids that come through are going on to high school and not dropping out. It does save kids' lives."